RA Symptoms: The Unusual and the Frustrating (from RA)

​Those of us who have rheumatoid arthritis tend to be quite familiar with the standard laundry list of symptoms associated with this condition, likepain,joint swelling, andfatigue. Living with thesesymptomsevery day can be quite frustrating. There are also a lot of other symptoms we experience that aren’t discussed as often, yet their impact can be significant. We asked ourFacebook Communityto tell us what their most unusual or frustrating symptoms are, and here’s what they had to say!

I struggle with fatigueI’m tired all the time

I have trouble with sleeplessness

I can’t sleep

I’m exhausted but I can’t sleep well

My vision is problematic

I have issues with my retinas and floaters in my eyes

I have dry eyes

I see lights when I turn my head

I have eye pain

My eyes are sore, watery, and blurry

My eye sockets hurt and I have very blurry vision at times

I have inflammation in my eyes

My emotions and my cognitive problems can get the best of me

I struggle with depression

I hate that I never know how I’m going to feel

I feel like I have brain fog

I hate how unpredictable it is

People just don’t understand, and they think I’m lazy or that I’m acting like a child

It’s so difficult not knowing how I’m going to feel from day to day

I really lack mental clarity

People assume I’m lazy because I move slowly

I have trouble with my mouth and throat

I struggle with dry mouth

I have trouble swallowing

My eyes, mouth, and ears are very dry

My throat is always sore

I have trouble with my jaw feeling tight and painful

When I talk, my jaw gets tight

It’s like I have the flu

I feel like I have the flu, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

I get fevers

Every day, it’s like I have a horrible case of the flu

My mobility is troublesome

I hate that I can’t function like healthy people do

I can’t hold on to things and it drives me crazy

I can’t walk well

My toes and ankles just ache

My balance is just off

My dexterity has deteriorated

My legs get numb

Walking is so painful

I wish I could wear shoes without my feet hurting

My internal organs suffer due to my RA

I have an increased heart rate

I have awful heart palpitations and I become breathless very easily

I have both heart and lung disease as a direct result of my RA

I have lung issues, including ground glass opacity and costochondritis

I have dizzy spells and pass out

I have a lot of chest pain

My vitamin D levels are low

I have nodules on my lungs

My white blood cell count is high

I get a lot of bruising

I have significant hair loss

I have joint issues that aren’t the standard ones associated with RA

My collarbone is constantly in pain

I have severe tendinitis in both of my forearms

I have tendinitis in my ankles

I have carpal tunnel syndrome

I have RA of the lumbar spine

I have sacroiliac joint dysfunction

I have inflammation and swelling after just 20 minutes of work or being exposed to heat

I have other unusual symptoms

My skin becomes blackened in different areas, which looks like bruising

I have skin nodules

I get bruising and bleeding under my skin when I’m flaring

I have nodules in my feet that create callouses

I get frequent bug bites

I have certain food intolerances

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Word for word… Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction. And my docs are insistent that my RA and SIJD are NOT related! Even tho the RA was diagnosed summer 2013 and SIJD was diagnosed in the very beginning of 2014.